Mauritania Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in mauritania, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Agricultural Sectors
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Agriculture plays a vital role in Mauritania’s rural economy, employing a large share of the population but contributing only a relatively modest share of GDP. The sector is highly vulnerable to variable rainfall, as much of the production is rain-fed. The most productive areas lie along the Senegal River valley, where irrigation enables the cultivation of rice, maize, and horticultural crops. In 2025, rainfall began late but improved by August, supporting planting of rice and coarse grains. Government and donor programs are focused on expanding irrigation, introducing improved seed varieties, and building resilience against both droughts and floods.

Recent initiatives supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank aim to rehabilitate irrigation systems, improve mechanization, and reduce post-harvest losses. The government is also encouraging private investment in storage facilities, packhouses, and transport infrastructure, with the goal of reducing dependence on food imports and improving food security. Off-grid solar-powered technologies are being promoted as a solution for powering cold storage and irrigation pumps in rural communities, linking agricultural productivity to Mauritania’s wider renewable energy strategy.

Opportunities:  Suppliers of irrigation equipment, small-scale mechanization, improved seed varieties, storage and cold chain solutions are in high demand. There is also room for agritech firms offering climate-resilient farming practices, data-driven advisory platforms, and insurance products to protect farmers from weather shocks. Companies integrating renewable energy with agriculture, such as solar-powered irrigation and cold rooms, can find promising openings in donor-backed projects and private farming cooperatives.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

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